Apparatus that sandwiches electrode sheet with separators

Abstract

An apparatus including: a first bonding unit that at least partially bonds a first separator strip and a second separator strip in a width direction at a first position; a first feeding unit that supplies the first separator strip to the first position; a second feeding unit that supplies the second separator strip to the first position so as to make an angle to the first separator strip; and a third feeding unit that supplies, in synchronization with timing of bonding of the first separator strip and the second separator strip in the width direction at the first position, an electrode sheet to the first position so as to be between the first separator strip and the second separator strip and make an angle to the first separator strip and the second separator strip respectively.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising:
 a first bonding unit that at least partially bonds a first separator strip and a second separator strip directly without sandwiching an electrode sheet in a width direction at a first position; 
 a first feeding unit that supplies the first separator strip to the first position; 
 a second feeding unit that supplies the second separator strip to the first position so as to make an angle to the first separator strip; and 
 a third feeding unit that supplies, in synchronization with timing of bonding of the first separator strip and the second separator strip in the width direction at the first position, an electrode sheet to the first position so as to be between the first separator strip and the second separator strip and make an angle to the first separator strip and the second separator strip, and 
 wherein the third feeding unit includes a feeder that intermittently supplies the electrode sheet to the first position at a higher speed than a feeding speed of the first separator strip and the second separator strip by the first feeding unit and the second feeding unit, and 
 the apparatus further includes a control unit that carries out control so that the feeder supplies the electrode sheet so that a front end of the electrode sheet reaches the first position immediately after the first separator strip and the second separator strip have been bonded at the first position. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a feeding conveyor that supplies the electrode sheet to the third feeding unit, and
 wherein the feeding conveyor includes: 
 a first unit that forms a first conveying surface on which the electrode sheet is loaded in a state where the electrode sheet is capable of moving in a direction from upstream toward the third feeding unit located downstream; and 
 a second unit that forms a second conveying surface that guides the electrode sheet in a state where the electrode sheet is capable of moving in a direction from upstream toward downstream along a first edge of the first conveying surface, the second conveying surface including a first region disposed below the first conveying surface and a second region that is continuous with the first region and disposed above the first conveying surface. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 further comprising a second bonding unit that at least partially bonds, at a second position that is downstream of the first position, the first separator strip and the second separator strip along at least one edge of the first separator strip and the second separator strip in synchronization with the first bonding unit. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first bonding unit and the second bonding unit are a rotary type,
 and the apparatus further comprises: 
 a feeding roller that feeds the first separator strip and the second separator strip at a third position downstream of the second position; and 
 a unit that carries out draw control over the first bonding unit, the second bonding unit, and the feeding roller. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first bonding unit includes a thermal bonding unit that bonds the first separator strip and the second separator strip thermally, 
 the apparatus further includes a sensor group that detects passage of a part bonded thermally, and 
 the unit that carries out draw control includes a function of determining a draw value according to passage of the part bonded thermally. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first bonding unit includes a thermal bonding unit that bonds the first separator strip and the second separator strip thermally, and 
 the apparatus further includes a cutter that detects a part bonded thermally and cuts the first separator strip and the second separator strip at substantially a center of the part bonded thermally. 
 
     
     
       7. An method including manufacturing a bonded component, the bonded components comprising a first separator strip, a second separator strip directly without sandwiching an electrode sheet, and an electrode sheet therebetween, the first separator strip and the second separator being bonded at least part of a circumference of the electrode sheet,
 wherein manufacturing the bonded component comprises: 
 bonding at least partially in a width direction of a first separator strip and a second separator strip at a first position, the first separator strip being supplied to the first position, the second separator strip being supplied to the first position so as to make an angle to the first separator strip; and 
 supplying an electrode sheet, in synchronization with timing of bonding of the first separator strip and the second separator strip in the width direction at the first position, to the first position so as to be between the first separator strip and the second separator strip and make an angle to the first separator strip and the second separator strip respectively, and 
 wherein supplying an electrode sheet includes intermittently supplying an electrode sheet to the first position at a higher speed than a feeding speed of the first separator strip and the second separator strip so that a front end of the electrode sheet reaches the first position immediately after the first separator strip and the second separator strip have been bonded at the first position. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein manufacturing the bonded component comprises bonding along at least one edge of the first separator strip and the second separator at a second position that is downstream of the first position in synchronization with the bonding at least partially in the width direction. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the bonding at least partially in the width direction includes bonding by a rotary-type first bonding unit, 
 the bonding along at least one edge includes bonding by a rotary-type second bonding unit, and 
 manufacturing the bonded component further comprises: 
 feeding the first separator strip and the second separator strip using a feeding roller at a third position downstream of the second position; and 
 carrying out draw control over the first bonding unit, the second bonding unit, and the feeding roller. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the bonding at least partially in the width direction includes thermal bonding the first separator strip and the second separator strip, and 
 manufacturing the bonded component further comprises detecting a part bonded thermally and cutting the first separator strip and the second separator strip at substantially a center of the part bonded thermally.